INTRODUCTION; CHAPTER I: LAND AND PEOPLE; CHAPTER II: POET AND POEM; CHAPTER III: TEXT AND TRANSLATION; LIST OF PREVIOUS TRANSLATORS; ANCIENT PERSIAN CALENDAR; GENEALOGICAL TABLES; ABBREVIATIONS; NOTE ON PRONUNCIATION; THE SHÁHNÁMA; THEPRELUDE; THE BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY: THE PISHDÁDIAN DYNASTY: GAIÚMART; HÚSHANG; TAHMÚRAS; JAMSHÍD; ZAHHÁK; FARÍDÚN ; FARÍDÚN (continued); MINÚCHIHR; MINÚCHIHR (continued); NAUDAU; ZAV